GEARHEAD NEWS

Did you know there was a national radio day? I didn't! I just heard it announce on NPR.

I owe my life to radio. When I was a little kid, my sister got a transistor radio for her birthday and we used to listen to the current pop songs of the day, dancing around in front of the mirror, using our hairbrushes as microphones.

Listening to those songs on the radio opened a whole new world for me and when I got into junior high, I was able to talk with my new friends about current radio hits. I became enamored with pop music and would practice songs by Elton John and John Denver on the piano, much to my piano teacher's horror.

Fast forward to college. I was already a music fanatic, but never dreamed I'd ever be able to actually have a radio show. KBVR 88.7 fm offered an apprentice program and since I had met many people already DJing for the station, I figured I could do it too.

After three months of training, I got my license and got my own radio show from 3 am - 6 am every Tuesday morning. Because of that training and experience, I not only became a pretty good DJ, I started writing for the university paper The Barometer, doing interviews and record reviews, and I started putting on my own shows for bands passing through town!

I love the radio. I listen to it still every day while I'm driving. And due to the amazing new digital technology, I listen to it on my computer while I'm working. I love podcasts, and look forward to creating one of my own at some point. I hope people continue to love and support local and independent radio. It is a piece of culture that would be a shame if it disappeared.

If you're lucky enough to live in a town with an independent radio station, give it a listen. You may be surprised what you get turned on to! Happy National Radio Day!

Who is this person?! Rev. Michelle Haunold Lorenz has been digging around in the underbelly of the kustom kulture lowbrow world for over thirty years, discovering mind-blowing rock n' roll bands, cool up and coming artists, creating custom apparel and weaving vintage pop culture touchstones into her essays about life, love and the human condition.

She lives with her new husband, world-renowned tattoo artist Cuz'n Bill Lorenz and their three Pembroke Welsh Corgis (with tails) in Elk Grove, CA.

Read stories about cars, pop culture, music, art, and any other related topics that catch the imagination of GEARHEAD owner Rev. Michelle Haunold.

​Guest writers are also encouraged to get in touch to share content that might be of interest to the GEARHEAD community. Live Fast, Be Weird! #livefastbeweird #gearheadrocks